Whose Mind? The Virtuosic Influence of Dorothy Sayers

Many writers have dabbled in a range of genres, but few have so successfully contributed influential work to so many as Dorothy Sayers. From detective fiction to theological treatises to popular dramas to acclaimed translations to startling cultural criticism, Sayers' work produced a pronounced and positive impact. She co-founded two literary circles and collaborated more frequently and more extensively with other writers than the Inklings. She was one of the first women to receive a degree from Oxford, yet when offered an honorary doctorate of divinity for her lucid explication of the Trinity, The Mind of the Maker, Sayers quietly turned it down. She proclaimed a Man Born to be King to a new generation in everyday language, yet forced modern "traditionalists" to confront the deceptively simple question, Are Women Human?

This issue of An Unexpected Journal focuses on Sayer's influence and legacy in the worlds of letters, Christianity, and mainstream culture.